Kingdom Hearts: Kairi's Story - Brother Bear
by Avatar Emerald
Summary: Kairi, training under Master Yen Sid to become a Keyblade Master, has advanced well in her training. Now, Yen Sid sends her to her first world visit. There, Kairi must help Kenai and Koda reach the mountain where the lights touch the earth as well as keeping the Heartless from devouring the hearts of her new friends. Will Kairi be able to fight back the darkness?
1. Chapter 1: The Mission

**Kingdom Hearts: Kairi's Story**

**Brother Bear**

**This is just a theory story.**

**I was watching "Brother Bear" recently, and I thought that it would be a perfect world for "Kingdom Hearts". And since we know that Master Yen Sid is going to be training Kairi to be a Keyblade Master, I thought it would be interesting to see her go to a world as part of her training. Just something about the world of "Brother Bear" made it feel like that would be a place where she would be able to fit into. **

**Being the writer I am, I decided to explore that idea. I doubt this will happen in the actual "Kingdom Hearts 3" game, but it will still be fun to explore.**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own "Kingdom Hearts" or "Brother Bear", I am merely exploring a possible story.**

**With that said, let's begin.**

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><p><strong>Kairi, training under Master Yen Sid to become a Keyblade Master, has advanced well in her training. Now, Yen Sid sends her to her first world visit. There, Kairi must help Kenai and Koda reach the mountain where the lights touch the earth as well as keeping the Heartless from devouring the hearts of her new friends.<strong>

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><p><strong>The Mission<strong>

In the Mysterious Tower, up in the highest room, a wise old wizard donned in a blue robe and hat sat down in his chair and looked at his apprentice: a young girl, roughly in her mid-teens. She had dark auburn hair, crystal blue eyes, a pink strapless mini-dress with a black hood and white halter top underneath. On her left wrist were three bracelets. Around her waist was a black belt with a hip-bag on her left side, and on her feet were lilac sneakers. Around her neck was a black, leather circlet with a single silver bead.

"Kairi," Yen Sid said, gruffly stoking his beard, "you have advanced quickly in your training. You certainly show to have great skill in magic. You've already mastered all of the simple spells. You're combat techniques aren't too shabby either. You show fierce determination and hard work. No doubt you'll become a powerful Keyblade wielder someday."

"Thank you, Master." Kairi graciously nodded.

Ever since she was enlisted to be part of the battle to stop Xehanort, Kairi pushed herself hard so she could become just as skilled with a Keyblade as her best friends, Sora and Riku. She wanted to do everything in her power to help them, and the only way she could do that was to master her Keyblade training as soon as she could.

So far, all that hard work was paying off.

"Still," the wizard exhaled, "there is still the matter of you having little experience in other worlds."

Kairi glanced away, feeling just a little embarrassed.

That was indeed true. Unlike Sora and Riku, Kairi had been to very few worlds. Probably only six at the most, or at least that's what she could remember.

"Is…" the girl hesitated, "there any chance I can go to other worlds? I know I haven't completed my training yet, and I know Sora, Riku, and the others are fighting back the Heartless, but with Xehanort's power increasing by the day…"

"I know what you're saying Kairi," Yen Sid raised his hand slightly, "and I have been thinking about that. It is time for you to start going to other worlds."

Upon hearing the news, Kairi couldn't help but give a hopeful smile.

"In fact," the wizard continued, "being a Princess of Heart, you can also keep the darkness at bay. There is one world at the moment that needs your help. There is a terrible darkness that is threatening to devour the hearts of the worlds' residence. You must seek them out and protect them. With your power to repel the darkness, you should be able to keep them safe, or drive out the darkness that threatens to turn them into a Heartless."

"I understand, Master." Kairi nodded. "I'll do my best."

"I know you will." Yen Sid said, standing up.

The old wizard then walked from his seat and over to a small cabinet. He opened the cabinet and pulled out a shining, teal crystal that was in the shape of a star. He then turned and walked over to Kairi.

"This is a Star Shard." Yen Sid explained. "This will take you right to that world."

"Uh," Kairi hesitated, "I don't mean to be disrespectful, but King Mickey told me that when he used a Star Shard, it sent him to other worlds even without his command. I even saw it happen for myself, even though I was very young. What if that should happen to me?"

"It won't." Yen Sid replied. "The King told me about the incident and I have managed to prevent that from happening again."

Kairi let out a small-relieved sigh, although her uneasiness wasn't entirely subdued.

"Now listen carefully," the wizard placed a hand on his apprentice's shoulder, "when you get to that world, you must seek out a woman named Tanana. She will help you. Whatever she tells you to do, you must obey it. She'll explain everything you need to know. Do you understand?"

"Yes," the young girl nodded.

Yen Sid then handed the Star Shard to Kairi, who took it with just a small moment of hesitation.

"Good luck, Kairi." Yen Sid nodded. "I wish you a safe journey."

Kairi bowed out of respect. She then held the Star Shard close to her heart. She silently wished for it to take her to the world that Yen Sid had spoken of. In a swirl of flashing lights, Kairi seemed to turn into a small star before flickering out of the tower and into the limbo of the worlds.

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><p>In a split second, Kairi soon found herself stumbling for a few feet in a wood full of tall, redwood trees. When she regained her balance, she stared in awe at the landscape before her. In the distance, mountains capped with snow stretched for as far as her eyes could see. Just a few feet in front of her was a clearing with river rushing by. The air was clear, but at the same time rather chilly.<p>

After the initial wonder of seeing this new world, Kairi then became aware of the fact that her cloths had changed. She looked over herself and saw that she was wearing a dark reddish-brown fur coat with a hood, fur pants, and fur boots.

"I guess this is more suitable than my other cloths," she smiled and shook her head.

Kairi then looked up, remembering her mission.

"Now I need to find Tanana," she said. "I just wish I knew where to start looking."

Kairi was about to take a step forward when she heard the sound of leafs rustling come from behind her. She jumped in alarm and spun around. However, when she saw what had caused the noise, she relaxed a little.

Standing just a few feet away from her was a small old woman dressed a coat of caribou fur and animal-skinned boots. Her long, white braided hair fell down to her knees. Her eyes were of a dark brown and were filled wisdom and kindness. Across her nose, just between her eyes, were two think red bands that looked as if they had been painted on.

"Hello, my dear," the woman said to Kairi.

"Hello," Kairi nodded. "Um, I seem to be lost. Can you tell me where I can find someone named…uh…Tanana?"

"I am she," the woman answered with a nod.

"Oh," the young girl replied, slightly surprised.

"Please," Tanana walked towards Kairi, "forgive me if this seems like an odd question, but…do you have a mystical weapon of some kind."

Kairi blinked. That certainly was an odd question to ask. However…

"You mean this?" the girl replied.

Kairi then held out her hand and summoned her Keyblade. In a flash of light, the magical and mysterious weapon materialized in her hand. Tanana looked at it with amazement for a moment before smiling.

"Then you are the one the Great Spirits spoke of," the shaman said with hopefulness.

"Great Spirits?" Kairi questioned.

"Yes," Tanana nodded, "they sent me a vision of a young girl with a mystical weapon coming to save our world from creatures of darkness."

"Creatures of darkness?" Kairi said, becoming alert. "You mean the Heartless?"

"So that's what they're called." Tanana mumbled before turning back to Kairi. "Oh, forgive me, I must have gotten carried away. You said you were looking for me?"

"Yes," the redheaded girl nodded, "but I think we're already on the same page. I'm here to save this world from the Heartless. But I was told they were going after specific people."

Tanana gave a worried face.

"It must be Kenai," she whispered.

"Kenai?" Kairi asked.

"Yes," Tanana hung her head sadly. "He's from my tribe. Last night, he killed a bear out of vengeance."

"What?" Kairi's eyes widened at the news. "Why would he do that?"

The shaman sighed heavily.

"Because Kenai lost his older brother, Sitka, in a fight with the bear. Although the bear didn't actually kill his brother, Kenai was so consumed by anger and sadness that it clouded his judgment. The result, he killed the bear."

Kairi frowned in sorrow.

"But when he did," Tanana continued, "the Great Spirits came down. Kenai deceased brother, Sitka, who is now a Spirit, turned him into a bear."

"Really?" Kairi blinked.

"I know he did it to teach Kenai a lesson," the shaman turned and stared at the nearby river, "but something happened that Sitka never intended to. Mysterious and dark creatures started coming into this world. Just last night, after I found Kenai unconscious by the river, I saw that he was surrounded by those creatures; the ones you call "Heartless"."

Kairi gasped, but Tanana continued.

"I was able to call on the Great Spirits to fend them off, but I'm afraid they will still be in pursuit of him."

Tanana then turned to Kairi.

"That I believe that is where you come in, my dear."

"Yes," Kairi nodded. "I promise I'll make sure that the Heartless don't devour Kenai's heart. I just need to know where he is."

"He should be heading for the mountain where the lights touch the earth." Tanana said. "But before you go, you will need some necessities."

Tanana reached under her coat and pulled out a large bag. She then handed it to Kairi, who graciously accepted it and slung it over her shoulder.

"You will also need to be able to talk to Kenai when you find him." Tanana said. "But I'm sure the Great Spirits will help with that. Seeing as you have a hint of magic about you, it shouldn't be a problem. But there is something else you need to know."

"What is it?" Kairi asked.

"Kenai second eldest brother, Denahi," Tanana's voice became more serious, "he thinks that Kenai was killed by the bear Kenai was pursuing. However, he doesn't know that he is hunting his own brother."

"Oh dear," Kairi cupped her hand over her mouth. "I should tell him."

"No," Tanana said, "you mustn't. Sitka made it this way for both Kenai and Denahi's sake. I know he is trying to teach them both something important. You may protect Kenai from the Heartless, and Denahi when he attacks, but you mustn't let Denahi know that the bear he pursues is actually Kenai."

Kairi stared at Tanana with uneasiness and concern. Something about not letting Denahi know about Kenai just sounded wrong to her. That was the kind of information she wouldn't want to keep from anyone, especially from a brother who is hunting his own brother without knowing he is.

Still, she remembered what Master Yen Sid told her:

_"Tanana will help you. Whatever she tells you to do, you must obey it."_

Although she still had doubts about this, she forced herself to put them aside. This was an important mission and she couldn't make compromises; at least not yet.

"Alright." Kairi slowly nodded. "I'll do what you said."

"Thank you." Tanana smiled and nodded. "You should be able to find Kenai in that direction."

Tanana gestured over to the right, revealing a path leading through the forest. Kairi took a step forward. She turned around to thank Tanana, but found that the shaman was gone. She had just vanished as mysteriously as she had appeared.

Kairi stared at the spot where Tanana had been for a moment. She then turned around and looked down the path. Uncertainty began to creep into her mind as she stared through the forest. This was her first mission and she had already been given a lot of information. She knew that if she messed anything up, it could spell disaster for this world.

Could she face the journey ahead of her?

"Well," Kairi exhaled, "only one way to find out."

Gripping her Keyblade, the young girl set out through forest, ready to take on the challenge before her. All she could hope for now was that her courage would see her through, and her heart wouldn't fail her.


	2. Chapter 2: A Narrow Escape

**A Narrow Escape**

The sun was beginning to set as Kairi trudged through the forest. She wasn't exactly used to this kind of wooded terrain, so trying to find her way around proved to be rather tricky. Mostly because she was tripping over roots jutting out of the ground or stepping into small holes that were covered by grass and leafs.

However, her biggest concern was her sense of direction. The trees eventually started to blend in with each other, making the whole landscape look the same. Kairi was now starting to worry if she was going in the right direction, or just going around in circles.

Eventually, she stopped for a moment to catch her breath. She leaned up against a big Sequoya tree and let out a deep sigh.

"Oh," she groaned, "how am I going to find Kenai at this rate? I can't give up, and I won't. But…I could use some help."

Shortly after Kairi said those words, she heard the sound of an eagle call. She looked up and saw a bald eagle sitting on a branch just above her. She also noticed that it was looking directly at her.

Kairi stared at it for a moment, cocking her head with curiosity. She wasn't sure if it was because of her Princess of Heart powers, or if it was because her keyblade abilities had matured, but she could definitely sense that there was a strong light resonating from this eagle.

The eagle then leapt from its place and glided down to Kairi. When it reached her, a golden light swirled around it and it transformed into a ghostly form of a man. He was tall, muscular, and dressed in a brown fur coat with fur pants and black boots. On his hood was a pair of antlers. His black hair went down to his shoulders and had just a touch facial hair on his chin.

He looked at Kairi with a warm smile.

Kairi, on the other hand, stared in amazement.

"Are you…a Spirit?" the girl asked.

The ghostly man nodded.

"Can you help me?" Kairi pleaded. "I must find someone named Kenai. He's being hunted by the Heartless. Please, can you help me find him?"

The Spirit nodded and reached out his hand towards Kairi. The young girl responded by reaching out her own hand and taking his. The moment she did, the Spirit before her started to glow. She shielded her eyes as the light grew brighter. At the same time, she felt a strange sensation rush through her. It was like a small, painless burning in her throat was spreading throughout her body.

At the same time, she heard the sound of a dozen animal noises in her head. Above all of that, she heard a voice:

_"I am Sitka. Wielder of the Light; please help my brothers. Save them from the darkness. But do not be afraid. I will be watching over you."_

When Kairi opened her eyes, the Spirit that had called himself Sitka was gone.

"Sitka?" she whispered.

Kairi blinked for a few seconds. Once her confusion had subsided, she stood up and looked down the path to her right. It was as if she had suddenly gained a six sense of some kind, and it was telling her to go down this path.

Taking a deep breath, Kairi set out on her journey once more. She hadn't gone more than a couple of yards when she heard two voices. One sounded like a young man and the other sounded like a little boy. They were both shouting in confusion, fear, and frustration.

"HEY, GET OFF ME, YOU FREAKS!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

At the same time, Kairi began to sense a darkness resonating from where the voices were coming from. She immediately started running to the place where all the commotion was coming from. When she reached the location, she stopped at the top of a hill and was horrified at the sight before her.

Down in a clearing were two bears being attacked strange creatures that resembled oversized, demented squirrels. The biggest bear was caught in a hunter's trap and was dangling upside-down from a tree, swatting at the creatures with a clumsy kind of ferocity. The other, who was a little cub, was cowering over by a rock as the dark creatures closed in on him.

"Heartless!" Kairi cried.

Without a moment of hesitation, Kairi gripped her Keyblade tightly and charged down the hill. When the Heartless sensed the presence of another person, particularly one that was just resonating with light, they all turned around and fixed their attention on the Keyblade wielder rushing towards them.

A few of them jumped into the air and attempted to swipe at Kairi. She responded by leaping to their level and striking three of them with a spin attack. As she did, the hearts they had captured were released and floated away into the sky.

When Kairi landed, she pivoted around on her left foot and rushed toward a Heartless closing in on the bear dangling from the tree, striking it with excellent precision. She then whirled around and saw that more Heartless were starting to advance. There were so many by now that she knew she wouldn't be able to fight them all one by one.

Fortunately, she knew of a spell that could wipe them out.

Taking a deep breath, she held her Keyblade high in the air. A small orb of light began to grow from the tip.

"Light!" she commanded.

In an instant, the orb burst into several small streams of light. They swirled around the area, wiping out the Heartless. In just a matter of seconds, all of the Heartless were gone.

"Whew." Kairi lowered her Keyblade. "That was a close one."

Kairi then turned her attention to the two bears. Both of them were staring at her with bewilderment, but each of them had a different kind of expression. The larger bear dangling from the tree was looking at her with curiosity, while the little bear looked at her with fear.

Kairi noticed the little bear's reaction and looked at him with a gentle smile. She dismissed her Keyblade, and it vanished in a small flash of light. She then knelt down towards the cub. He only cowered back against the rock even more.

"D-Don't come any closer!" it said in a little boy voice.

Kairi gasped. This bear just SPOKE! She certainly didn't see that coming.

She then blinked when she remembered her encounter with Sitka. That's when it all made sense. That sensation. It must have been him giving her the ability to understand and speak to animals.

Kairi quickly recovered from her initial shock and shook her head. She looked back at the bear cub and smiled.

"It's okay," she said with gentleness. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Kairi then reached out her hand, the back of it facing the little bear. He shrunk away from her for a moment. However, when he saw Kairi stop, he began to slowly creep forward, still being very cautious. Finally, he reached Kairi's hand and sniffed it. When he didn't sense any danger, he rubbed his head against it.

Kairi giggled and began to scratch the little bear behind the ears. The cub laughed as she did.

"You're a friendly little guy, aren't you?" Kairi said.

"Uh, hello!" a voice that sounded like young man caught the human girl's attention, "You mind getting me down?!"

Kairi turned back to the older bear, who was looking rather irritated by now.

"Oh, sorry!" Kairi quickly stood up. "Hold on, I'll get you down!"

Kairi carefully examined the trap, tracing to where the rope in the tree met the ground. She found that the rope was tied to a peg that was hammered into the ground. She walked over to it and pulled it out. However, because the mass of the bear was greater than her strength, it slipped out of her hand and the bear flew up into the air.

"WHOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAA!" he shouted.

He then landed back on the ground with a loud "THUD". At the same time, the thick branch that was holding him up snapped off. If fell hard onto his stomach, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to gasp in agony.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Kairi ran over.

The girl knelt down beside the bear as he rolled over onto his front.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

The bear coughed in pain.

"As fine as I can be," he groaned. "Who are you anyway?"

"My name is Kairi," the girl said. "Who are you guys?"

"I'm Koda!" the little cub ran over to Kairi. "Thanks for saving us from those creatures."

Kairi smiled and gently rubbed Koda's head.

"I'm just glad you guys are okay," she said before turning back to the elder bear. "What's your name?"

"It's Kenai," the bear replied somewhat harshly.

"Wait, Kenai?!" Kairi gasped.

"Yeah, Kenai."

"Kenai," Kairi's voice sounded urgent, "I've been looking for you! We have to…"

Kairi didn't get the chance to finish her sentence. At that moment, Koda sniffed the air and gave a terrified shriek.

"RUN!"

Koda then raced off through the forest, disappearing among the trees.

"Koda, wait!" Kairi shouted.

Suddenly, Kairi felt a strange force drawing closer. She knew it was a force of darkness. However, it wasn't like the kind that she had sense before. It wasn't just mindless rage and hatred. It seemed to be…in pain.

At the same time, there was a rustle from behind. Both Kairi and Kenai turned around quickly and saw a figure moving in the shadows closer to them. Kenai squinted as the figure stepped into the red beams of the sunset.

It was a human.

He was dressed in a bluish fur coat with fur pants and boots. He had a single bead dangling from a clump of his short black hair. He carried a satchel over his right shoulder and he carried a long spear with a carving of a bear tied close to the spearhead.

He slowly approached Kairi and Kenai. However, his attention wasn't on Kairi at all.

"Denahi?" Kenai whispered.

He then smiled and got up.

"Denahi, you found me!"

Kairi tensed up when she suddenly remembered what Tanana had said to her.

_"Kenai second eldest brother, Denahi, thinks that Kenai was killed by the bear Kenai was pursuing. However, he doesn't know that he is hunting his own brother."_

"Oh, no!" the girl whispered.

However, Kenai approached his brother with elation.

"Boy, am I glad to see you!" the bear said. "You wouldn't believe what a nightmare this has been!"

Kairi then noticed Denahi raise his spear as Kenai got closer. Kenai noticed it, too.

"Denahi?" Kenai cautiously backed away.

This time, Denahi lunged forward, his spear ready to kill.

"DENAHI!" Kenai shouted. "IT'S ME! KENAI!"

As Kenai fearfully backed away, he tripped over a large root sticking up out of the ground. He fell backwards and the branch that was still tied to his foot got entangled in the root.

"KENAI!" Kairi cried out.

Denahi then stopped and turned to the girl in utter shock. To him, what came out of her mouth wasn't the sound of any speech he would recognize. Instead, it was the cry of a bear.

Kairi then rushed forward and pushed Denahi away. He stumbled back for a few feet before falling into a bush. Kairi then summoned her Keyblade and cut the rope around Kenai's ankle, releasing him.

"COME ON!" she shouted. "WE GOTTA GET OUT OF HERE!"

Frightened and confused, Kenai sprinted from his place with Kairi racing after him. They both ran down a hill and ended up leaping off of a small ledge. Kenai tumbled into the small stream below while Kairi stumbled for a moment before falling onto Kenai.

They both scrambled up and looked around desperately for a place hide.

"There!" Kairi pointed.

Just a few yards away from them, was an enormous glacier with a narrow opening in its side.

Kairi and Kenai immediately made a mad-dash for crevasse. Kenai, being the fastest, was the first to reach it. He immediately squirmed through and ran into the icy cave. Kairi, being a lot smaller than Kenai, simply ran through the opening and joined her friend. Once they were a good ways into the cavern, they both turned around to check and see if Denahi had followed them.

When they didn't see him. They relaxed for a moment.

However, their moment of rest was short-lived. For at that moment, there came the sound of ice cracking from above. Kairi and Kenai looked up and got a horrible shock when they saw the outline of Denahi stalking on the ice just above them.

They both back up against the icy wall, holding their breaths and hoping that the human would eventually go away.

Suddenly, a small voice whispered:

"Is he gone?!"

Kairi and Kenai jumped and turned around to see Koda peaking from behind a small wall of ice.

"Koda!" Kairi whispered urgently.

At the same time from above, Denahi's silhouette looked around sharply. He must have heard Koda. However, the little cub didn't notice Denahi.

"I think he was going to…"

"SHH!" Kenai hastily grabbed the little cub, pulling him in close and covering his mouth with his large paw.

Koda tried to speak, but his voice was all muffled. He then looked up and noticed the hunter's shape. That was enough to silence him.

There was a horrible moment of tension they group watched Denahi scan the ice, obviously eager to find the large bear he was pursuing.

Suddenly, Denahi's silhouette ran off in the opposite direction and disappeared.

Kenai let out small, almost relieved sigh. However, he wasn't completely relaxed.

"Hello!" Koda strained. "I can't breathe!"

Kenai, shell-shocked and confused, released Koda, who immediately gasped for air the second he was on the ground.

Kairi took several deep breaths and hugged herself.

That was too close for comfort.


	3. Chapter 3: A Danger Nearing

**A Danger Nearing**

Kairi followed the two bears over to a large dry patch of pebbles and sat down. She shivered slightly and hugged herself for warmth. Although she had the power of fire at her disposal now, and it was keeping her a little warm, it didn't block out the cold completely.

She looked over to her left when she felt something nuzzle up against her arm. She gave a soft smile when she saw that it was Koda. She couldn't help but gently stroke the little bear's head.

She then looked over at Kenai, who looked both sad and confused.

"Why is he chasing me?" he whispered to himself.

"That's what they do!" Koda exclaimed, completely oblivious to the real reason of Kenai's confusion.

"But it's not like him." Kenai replied, shaking his head.

Kairi opened her mouth to explain the situation, but she immediately closed it again. Something told her that she should broadcast the fact that she knows anything about Kenai being a human or that he had killed a bear, especially in front of little Koda. Not to mention, she would be setting herself up to explain a few things. Things she was specifically told not to explain.

Still…

"I'm sure it'll all be okay," the human girl said. "As long as we stay out trouble."

"Well, that's going to be hard to do." Koda looked up at Kairi. "There's trouble everywhere out here in the wild."

"Oh, right." Kairi shrugged, feeling just a little stupid.

"But you don't need to worry about danger," the little bear puffed up proudly. "Because when I get in a fight, I go all crazy and I'm a raging ball of brown fur!"

Koda then leapt up and began swinging his paws around, striking imaginary enemies. He then slipped on the pebbles and fell down onto his back. However, he quickly recovered and stood back up on all fours.

"I mean, I don't want to brag or nothing" he said, "but I've got some moves."

"Yeah,"Kairi giggled, "I can see that. You'd probably give the Heartless a hard time."

"What's the Heartless?" Kenai asked, becoming interested in the conversation.

"It's those things that attacked you." Kairi explained. "The ones I used my Keyblade against."

"Keyblade?"

"This."

Kairi held up her Keyblade for Kenai and Koda to see. The little bear cub wandered over to it and sniffed it. He gave a confused expression when he realized that it didn't smell like flowers, despite the fact it was ordained with blossoms all over. But it didn't smell anything like flowers. Instead, it was more like polished stones.

"So that's your weapon?" Kenai asked, raising an eyebrow.

He had never seen anything like that in his life. At first, he was doubtful that it could do much damage. However, when he remembered what he saw back in the clearing, he changed his mind. Although he still thought it was a strange looking weapon.

"Yes," Kairi nodded. "It's the only thing that can defeat the Heartless."

"I've never seen those creatures before." Koda said. "And I've seen many different creatures."

"Well," Kairi carefully searched for her words, "they aren't exactly part of this world."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Kenai asked, sounding just a little on the dull side.

"The Heartless are born out of the darkness in people's hearts," the girl explained. "If you let the darkness in your heart overtake you, you'll become one of them."

"That sounds scary." Koda shivered.

Kairi sensed the little bear's fear and gently rubbed his head.

"That won't happen to you," she said. "I'm here to make sure of that. My Keyblade can repel them. In fact, the Heartless are the reason I'm here."

"So, did the Spirits send you or something?" Kenai asked.

"You…could say that," the girl carefully replied. "They also gave me the ability to talk to you guys. That's how I was able to find you."

"Why were you looking for us?" Koda asked.

"Well, actually, I was looking for Kenai."

"Me?" the older bear said, confused. "Why?"

"I'm supposed to help you reach a mountain where the lights touch the earth." Kairi said.

"The mountain where the lights touch the earth?" Koda spoke up. "Why didn't you say that in the first place? I know where that is!"

"You do?" Kenai said, sounding skeptical.

"Yeah, it's right by a place called the salmon run," the little bear smiled with excitement. "They're practically next door. I can take you guys there."

"That's wonderful!" Kairi exclaimed. "Thank you, Koda!"

"I don't know." Kenai gave a disinterested look that bordered on disgusted.

"C'mon, Kenai." Kairi said. "It's our only lead. We might as well."

Kenai looked at Kairi with suspicion. He then exhaled deeply and rubbed his head in frustration. He looked back at Kairi and Koda, who were both looking at him with hopeful and eager faces.

"Ugh, fine." He groaned. "We leave first thing tomorrow."

"Okay," Kairi nodded, "in the meantime, we should get some rest. We have a long day tomorrow."

With that, Kenai sauntered over to a small corner and curled up to sleep. Kairi lay down on her side, using her left arm as a pillow. Koda walked over to her and curled up beside her. The human girl smiled and draped her other arm over the little cub. Considering that Kairi didn't have a fur coat of her own, she welcomed the bear's warmth and fluffy fur.

"You know, Kairi," Koda said, "you're not so bad for a human."

"Thanks, Koda." Kairi said, tenderly scratching the cub behind the ears. "And don't worry, I'm not going to let the Heartless get either of you. I promise."

From where he was, Kenai listened to the conversation. Since he was lying down with his back facing the other two, they couldn't see him give a regretful expression.

Pretty soon, all three travelers drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>Nightfall had come as Denahi stopped to rest. By now, he was exhausted from his journey. He had been hunting all day for the bear that had taken his brother. However, after that incident in the woods, he had lost the trail. There wasn't so much as a footprint or piece of fur.<p>

The hunter quickly started a fire, wanting to combat the cold as quickly as possible. Fortunately, it was a clear night and there was only a slight breeze sweeping through the woods. After he had gathered enough firewood, he set a spark to it and the flame began to quickly burn the kindling, giving off a welcoming heat.

As Denahi sat in front of the fire, his mind kept wandering back to his encounter in the woods. He had the bear right where he wanted him. He was so close to avenging his brother. But that girl stopped him. What was more unnerving was that she didn't speak like a human. She spoke like a bear. Denahi had heard stories in his youth about people being able to speak like animals, but he didn't think they were real.

But she did speak in the tongue of an animal.

"Just who is she?" the man whispered. "And what does she have to do with that bear?"

Denahi then let out a weak sigh.

"Maybe I shouldn't be doing this. After all, I was the one who said that killing the bear would be wrong. And Kenai should've known better than to run off and face it. And…I didn't reach him in time. I guess I shouldn't blame a wild animal, it was just defending itself."

Suddenly, there was a rustle in the bushes. Denahi quickly jumped up and grabbed his spear, preparing himself for an attack.

"Who's there?!" he demanded. "Show yourself!"

Just then, an old man casually stepped out of the bushes. His head was bald, but he had a thin, silver goatee on his chin. He was dressed in some kind of attire that Denahi had never seen before: a black coat with read lining over a white shirt with two thin black belts, white gloves, black paints, and black calve-high boots. He was broad-shouldered and slightly hunched over, giving him the appearance of being feeble.

The thing Denahi noticed the most was his eyes. They were piercing yellow and had a slightly menacing look to them. However, they seemed to contrast with his face. The man looked at Denahi with something that looked like concern.

"Oh, I'm sorry, young man," the man spoke in an old, raspy voice. "I didn't mean to startle you."

"Eh, who are you?" Denahi asked, lowing his spear.

"Please forgive me," the man bowed slightly, "I am just a traveler from a far away land. I couldn't help but overhear you talking to yourself. What's this about your brother and a bear?"

Denahi looked at the man with suspicion. He wasn't exactly keen on sharing such personal information with a stranger. Still, this man didn't seem to be a threat.

Denahi sighed in sorrow.

"My brother, Kenai, was killed by a bear," he explained, "I've been hunting it all day to avenge him. I almost got him in a clearing, but a strange girl with some kind of magical weapon prevented me from killing it."

The man's eyes widened a bit when he heard that. However, they quickly changed back to sympathetic in a split second.

"Oh," he said, "I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's not your fault." Denahi groaned. "I'm just sorry that it happened."

"So, are you still going to hunt that bear?" the man asked.

"I don't know." Denahi shook his head. "I mean, it is a wild animal. It was probably just defending itself."

"What makes you think it was a wild animal?" the stranger said ambiguously.

Denahi looked up at the man, curious.

"I've been wandering around these parts lately," the man said, "I've been seeing many strange things lately. Dark forces are starting to emerge."

"Dark forces?" Denahi raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I know I may not look it, but I am quite cable of holding my own in a fight. I have come across some…strange creatures. They aren't your typical woodland animals; they are made completely out of darkness. I know this because I could feel it during some of my encounters with them. They take over the hearts of innocent people and animals and turn them into vicious killers. My guess is that the bear who took your brother is one of them."

"What?!" Denahi's face hardened into a scowl.

"That bear has been corrupted by darkness," the stranger explained. "You can't just let it run loose. It's already taken away someone you cared about, think about all the pain and suffering it could cause."

Upon hearing this, the young hunter felt rage stir up in his heart. He tightened his grip on the spear and breathed heavily. Just the idea of what the man had told him was enough to infuriate him to an almost unbearable degree.

"I can't just let him go!" he clenched. "I've got to stop him!"

The stranger gave a brief grin before taking a deep breath and regaining his composure.

"You will need some help though," he said. "That girl he's traveling with is very dangerous. But you needn't worry about her. I will take care of her."

"How?" Denahi looked at the man with a confused glare.

"I have a way of doing things," the man shrugged. "You just focus on taking out that bear."

The stranger then reached into his coat and pulled out what seemed to be an ordinary spearhead. He then handed it to Denahi, who took it with just a hint of hesitation.

"Just in case," he said. "Better to have more than enough forms of defense than less. Besides, I'm sure you can find a use for it."

Denahi gave a sharp nod.

The stranger then turned away.

"You should get some rest now," he said. "Tomorrow is going to be a long day."

Denahi acknowledge what the stranger said and walked back over to the fire. As soon as he laid down to sleep, the stranger turned around and gave an evil grin.

"That was easier than I thought," he said to himself. "So much rage and sadness; the perfect elements to turn people into pawns. It's only a matter of time before they succumb to the darkness. One way or another."

The man then looked up at the sky.

"Princess of Heart," he said in a low voice, "was rather foolish of you to show up here without your bodyguards. You'll meet your fate soon enough."

* * *

><p>"Xehanort!"<p>

Kairi's eyes snapped open and she immediately sat up. She took in several deep breaths and rubbed her chest, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart.

Beside her, Koda stirred.

"Kairi?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

"Huh?" the girl looked at the little cub. "Oh, nothing," she said, trying to sound calm. "It was just a nightmare. Go back to sleep, Koda."

Koda, still dazed and dreamy, gave a big yawn and curled up into a ball, immediately falling back asleep.

Kairi took a few more deep breaths before pulling her knees close and hugging them. As much as she tried to tell herself that what she just had was only a nightmare, something in the back of her mind told her that it was more than that. Master Yen Sid had told her to pay attention to her dreams since she was a Princess of Heart and could sense a powerful darkness growing.

Right now, she was starting to feel something sinister growing, and she didn't like it.


	4. Chapter 4: Strength of Heart

**Strength of Heart**

The next morning, Kairi, Kenai, and Koda left the icy cavern and began their journey to the mountain where the lights touch the earth. The sun was shining brightly and a cool, welcoming breeze gently flowed over the grassy meadow as they walked on. Koda, being the playful cub that his is, constantly ran around field just a few feet in front of Kenai and Kairi. He would also sing some random song, tell stories, and blew dandelion puffs whenever they came across any.

While Kenai found the little bear's antics to be annoying, Kairi smiled and giggled at Koda's carefree spirit and innocence.

"So," Kenai said gruffly, "how far is it to this….what do you call it…Salmon Run?"

"Oh," Koda shrugged, "about a day or two. My mom used to take me there all the time."

"Your mom?" Kairi asked.

Koda's expression then turned to dismal and he stopped running around.

"Yeah," he said. "See, she and I got separated a few days ago. I was hoping that she would be at the Salmon Run since she always told me that if I ever got lost, I would meet up with her there."

"Oh," the human girl frowned. "I'm sorry to hear that."

Kairi then walked over to Koda, knelt down to his level, and lovingly rubbed his head.

"I'm sure we'll find her," she said. "And who knows: she might be waiting for you there already."

"You think so?" Koda looked up hopefully.

Kairi gave a small nod.

Meanwhile, Kenai looked at Kairi with a subtle expression of suspicion. Ever since she showed up out of the blue and said she was here to help him reach the mountain, his curiosity of her began to slowly climb. Why was she sent to help him? And just where did she come from? He had never seen a human like her before. And he certainly had seen anyone with powers like hers.

Oddly enough, as much as Kenai was suspicious about Kairi, and while every other instinct in his body was telling him not to trust her, he couldn't help but feel a sense of trust towards her. After all, she did save his life the other day. She also had a sense of honesty about her.

"Well, c'mon." Kairi then stood up. "We should keep moving."

The group prepared to set out again. However, they were immediately stopped when several black shadows appeared in the ground and more of those creatures that had attacked them yesterday sprung out of them. Only now, some of them had the appearance of deranged wolves.

"Heartless!" Kairi shouted.

The human girl then summoned her Keyblade. Just as the Heartless began to close in, she sprung from her spot and struck three of them with just one swipe.

"Kairi, behind you!" Koda shouted.

Kairi turned around in time to see a large, wolf-like Heartless leap into the air and sail towards her, it's jaws open and ready to bite. However, before Kairi could strike, Kenai rushed forward and swiped at it with his large, bear paws. The Heartless disappeared in a swirl of dark purple mist.

"Whoa!" Kairi exclaimed. "Thanks, Kenai!"

"Don't thank me yet!" the bear growled. "We've got to take the rest of them out first!"

Kairi gave a sharp nod and prepared herself for an attack. Beside her, Kenai arched his back and snarled at the surrounding Heartless. Frightened, Koda ran past the Heartless to join his friends. Regardless of his fear, he crouched down low, preparing himself to attack.

"Get ready, guys!" Kairi commanded.

"I-I'll do my best!" Koda stuttered.

For the next few minutes, Kairi, Kenai, and Koda fought their way through what seemed to be an endless assault of Heartless. Kairi, using her agility, speed and magic, took out several medium-sized Heartless at once. Kenai, using his strength and power, went after the larger ones, slicing them down with lethal paw swipes or fatal jaw bits. Even little Koda managed to take out some of the smaller Heartless.

To help her team, Kairi used her magic to heal both herself and the two bears, and create wind barriers around them for stronger defense. She also used her light attacks pretty frequently, as they were the strongest attack she had in her arsenal.

Pretty soon, after the human girl wiped out two more Heartless, she looked over her shoulder to see a bunch more beginning to overwhelm Kenai. The large bear fought back with much ferocity, but the number of Heartless closing in of him were increasing by the second. In just a second, some managed to pin him to the ground. He roared and slashed at them with all the strength he had, but it was no use.

"Kenai!" Kairi cried.

Upon seeing this, Kairi immediately rushed over to Kenai and slashed at them with her Keyblade. With all that weight pinning him down gone, Kenai quickly stood up. However, the Heartless were closing in on them once again.

"Kairi, there's too many of them!" Kenai shouted.

"We need some help!" Koda yelled.

Kairi glanced down at her Keyblade. There had to be some way for them to defeat the Heartless all at once. As she stared at her Keyblade, a small memory of something Sora told her quickly flashed in her mind.

* * *

><p><em>Watching the sunset on Destiny Island, one of Kairi's best friends, Sora, was sharing the details of his adventures to her.<em>

_"So you could do team attacks with others from various worlds?" Kairi asked._

_"Yeah," Sora nodded, "if they have a strong heart, the Keyblade allowed us to combine our strengths together and we could both take out a large number of Heartless."_

_"So, as long as they have a strong heart, the Keyblade would let you combine your powers together?"_

_"Exactly. And it really comes in handy when you're in a pinch."_

* * *

><p><em>"That's it!"<em> Kairi thought to herself. _"I just hope this works!"_

Kairi then looked up and turned toward Kenai and Koda.

"Kenai!" she shouted. "Koda! I've got an idea! Gather around me!"

"What?!" Kenai glanced at the human girl.

"Just trust me! I know what I'm doing!"

Although they were confused, the two bears gathered around Kairi. Taking a deep breath, the Keyblade wielder focused her powers, making a white aura shine around her, and expanded her energy out to the rest of her friends. At the same time, Kenai and Koda felt a strange and mysterious power course through them. A white aura began to glow around both of them. They suddenly knew what they had to do.

"NOW!" Kairi ordered.

On the command, the three fighters charged forward, striking Heartless left and right like they were just flies. They all struck with such force and speed that the Heartless couldn't calculate their moves.

After about ten consecutive moves from each of them, the team leapt back together. Kairi stood in the middle of them and raised her Keyblade to the sky. At the same time, Kenai and Koda both roared. While Koda roar didn't sound very threatening, Kenai's roar thundered loud and clear, echoing across the meadow. Kairi then unleashed a way of light, and the roars of the two bears amplified it. It swept across the meadow like wind, wiping out any remaining Heartless.

When the attack ended, there was no sign of any Heartless left. Everything was it had been at the start of their journey.

"Ha!" Kairi smiled. "It worked!"

"That was AWESOME!" Koda gleefully shouted. "Those things didn't stand a chance against us! And Kairi, how did you do all that attack?! That was amazing!"

"Well," Kairi laughed, "you guys partially helped with that. In order for the team attack to work, all members have to have strong hearts. And you two certainly have strong hearts. That was more powerful than even I was intending."

"Huh." Kenai grinned. "I got to admit, that was pretty cool. Thanks, Kairi."

Kairi smiled and nodded.

"And thank you, Kenai," she said. "You really pack quite a punch."

"Yeah," the adult bear mumbled, "even I didn't know I could do that."

Kairi then turned to the Koda.

"I guess you weren't kidding when you said you could be fierce in a fight," she complimented. "Those were some pretty cool moves."

Koda beamed with pride.

"I told you I had some moves!" he grinned.

Seeing the little bear so proud and cheerful, Kenai couldn't help but chuckle.

"Hey!" Koda pointed his paw at Kenai. "You actually smiled! I saw it!"

Kenai stepped back and blinked in surprise. He then gave a small, irritated frown.

"What?!" he grimaced. "You've never seen a bear smile before?!"

"Not on your face, that's for sure!" Koda said in a playfully mocking tone.

The little cub then burst out laughing and fell over on his back. Kenai just have a strained groan and looked away sourly. Kairi giggled at the scene before her.

"You guys behave like two brothers, you know that?" she said.

Upon hearing what Kairi said, Kenai glanced at the human girl and back at the laughing Koda. He then looked down with a neutral expression. He eyes darted aimlessly across the ground. Kairi watched him, curious as to what was going on in his head.

Finally, Kenai took a deep breath and looked back up.

"Well," he said, "we better keep moving. Just in case those creatures decide to come back."

"Good idea." Kairi nodded. "Besides, we should probably get to the Salmon Run as soon as possible."

"Oh, okay." Koda said, getting to his feet. "Just follow me."

Without a moment of hesitation, the small group set out through the wilderness once again. As they journeyed onward, Kairi looked at her Keyblade and smiled. She then held the hilt of it close to her heart.

"Thanks, Sora," she whispered. "I couldn't have done it without you."

Indeed, if Sora hadn't told her about his adventures, she probably wouldn't have known what to do in the first place. Once again, he was there for her when she needed him. Even if he wasn't beside her in the fight, he was right beside her in her heart. All the memories of him that she carried with her made her strong. And she knew that as long as she remembered Sora, and all he did for her, he would continue to make her strong.

And when they met again, she would show him that all he told her, all he did for her was worth something.

She was going to become the greatest Keyblade wielder that she could be.


End file.
